Combination roof and floor for buildings



Sept. 9, 1947. I B. G. GOBLE COMBINATION ROOF AND FLOOR FOR BUILDINGS Filed Jan. 9, 1945 Patented Sept. 9, 1947 COMBINATION ROOF AND FLOOR Fon BUILDINGS Bert G. Goble, Tulsa, Okla.

Application January 9, 1945, Serial No. 572,015

60laims. 1

This invention relates to a combination roof and floor for an exposed sleeping roof for buildings, between the four main walls of the building, and exposed to the weather.

It is quite common in the construction of dwelling houses to provide what are known a sleeping porches, which as a rule are built on the outside of the four walls of the house, and usually have a roof over them, and no important rooms underneath. This invention opens an entirely new field in comfort in building construction, as with resiliency embodied in this combination roof and floor material, and its metallic surface, it gives a surface that will last a long time without leaking, and one that will not chalk out in time, resulting in tracking onto adjoining room carpeting. The surface can also be scrubbed and easy to' keep clean, and at the same time the metallic surface covering the nails prevents the nails working up and loose which causes so much trouble in most roofs. The hard metallic surface safeguards against tearing, when sliding beds over same when the casters drop out, or when other furniture is slid over it.

In the prescribed method of treating the canvas or the like on the underneath side with lead and oil paint, while being laid, it can be applied in sufficient quantity so that it practically soaks through the canvas and Waterproof it, and at the same time gives the canvas an adhesive tendency to cling close to its foundation, and also elastic enough to lay close to uneven surfaces without wrinkling.

In the past it has been unknown to the trade, how to lay canvas over a large surface without wrinkling; this invention overcomes this difficulty by placing the canva on a large tube and painting the underside just before laying and while unrolling, then nailing at the laps or scarfs. This system leaves a perfectly smooth top surface. A coat of quick-drying aluminum'paint is then applied on the upper surface that Waterproofs the top, and at the same time makes a hard stiff surface that prevents wrinkling. Heretofore, attempts have been made to lay covers of the general character described herein by applying a heavy tar paper or a coating of asphalt to one side thereof to be laidwithout wrinkling, but such methods resultin high offset projections at the laps that are difiicult to retain in position when beds or other heavy furniture are moved thereover. Also, with a comparatively soft foundation, beds and other furniture standing on the floor covering result in serious pitting of the coverand cause an unsightly appearance.

2 An important object of the present invention is to provide a combination roofing and flooring for a weather exposed sleeping roof which will be highly resistant to disintegration and other dam age caused by rolling beds and sliding furniture thereover, and by other abrasive influences.

Another important object of this invention is to provide for such a combination roof and floor, a canvas or other fabric coating so arranged that it will cling tightly throughout its extent to the underlying structure and will not 'be subject to wrinkling or cracking while in use. 7

Another object of this invention is to so manufacture and roll canvas or the like and instruct the workmen laying it, that it can be laid over a large surface without wrinkling, when put in plac'e,'and keep it from wrinkling throughout its extent during its lifetime.

Another object of this invention is to use a combination of paints on the canvas or the like, to preserve the life of the materials for many years.

Another object of this invention is to use a metallic paint that serves to anchor the heads of the nails to the other surface so securely that the nails do not work loose and cause leaks, as is common in other roofing in use.

Another very important object of this invention is to manufacture a special designed canvas or the like with its scarfed edges reduced so that when laid there is a smooth top surface, and eliminate the two raised places at each lap, as is now common in the-laying of canvasroofing. The metallic paint gives a hard smooth surface which allows a bed to roll thereover, and push furniture over its surface without the danger of tearing it.

Another object of this invention is to place the canvas on a large hollow tube to keep the canvas from wrinkling, and the large roll makes it easier to lay, and paint the underside when laying.

' Another very important object of this invention is to use a heat reflecting surface to correct the fault of roof materials now on the market, which are in dark and black colors and softer materials which absorb the heat, and make the rooms underneath hot. I

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in general of an improved method of combination roof and floor construction and of certain novel details of construction and combinationsof parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated'in the accompanying drawings of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of a combination roof and floor constructed in accordance with this invention, certain parts being broken away to show those underlying.

Figure 2 is a section On the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing a modification of the construction.

Figure 4 is a section similar to Figure 2 but showing the method. of applying the fabric coat- Figure 5 is a schematic view illustrating the several layers of the combination roof and flooring in a form similar to Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a section illustrating a form of arranging the reduction of weaving at the lapping edges of canvas to produce a scarfed joint.

In the embodiment of the invention as here illustrated there is shown in Figures 1 to 5 a portion of a sloping roof having joists Ill and tongue-grooved flooring H, the latter being laid closely and without any cracks.

In the form shown in Figures 1 and 2, this roofing or flooring H is covered by a canvas or other fabric coating l2 the underside of which is painted just prior to the coating being laid on the roofing H.

The coating is thus applied while the paint is wet so that when the paint dries the fabric coating clings closely to the roofing. This paint coating is indicated in Figure 5 at l3. After the fabric coating has been applied and While the paint is still wet on the underside it is preferred to apply to the exposed surface of the fabric one or more coats I4 of aluminum paint of the type wherein the drying of the paint produces a stiif metallic surface that dries quickly and prevents wrinkling.

In the form of invention shown in Figure 3, the joists and roofing i l are replaced by a concrete slab l5.

In practice, the sheeting H, which forms the top Zone of the understructure, whether the invention is employed for roof and/or floor service, is substantially imperforateindicated by the tongue and groove f0rmation-and presents its upper surface as planar with the surface substantially unbrokentc any material extent; to emphasize the condition, such upper surface is preferably sanded prior to the application of the covering. If the understructure is of concrete, as in Fig. 3, its upper surface is made smooth prior to the application of the covering. As a result, the surface which receives the covering is smooth and planar in type, and free from paint, dry or wet, prior to beginning the regimen of applying the covering.

The canvas used has the usual general characteristics of this material, in that it is woven tightly and, while flexible, is not materially yieldable in the direction of its thickness; the Weaving gives its surfaces a slightly rough appearanceas compared with the smooth face of the sheetingpermitting paint or th like to slightly penetrate below the plane of the top of the surface, thus tending to anchor the paint to the canvas into a more or less permanent relationship. The canvas is preferably woven with its side edges scarfed to an extent sufiicient to permit an over-' lapping of djacent side edges without materially increasing the thickness of the overlapping zone.

For the purpose of properly applying the canvas, it is arranged in roll form, with the length of the rolled canvas at least sufficient to meet one of the dimensions of the surface to be covered,

thus limiting the seam development to but one general direction. The spool on which the canvas is rolled is preferably formed in such manner that the canvas roll surface will present no ridged or materially uneven appearance, thus assuring that when the roll is advanced over the upper surface of the sheeting, the contact between the surfaces will be developed uniformly.

The paint used for the underside of the canvas is of the slow-drying type, preferably having a lead and oil base. This is of advantage through the fact that when the paint coat is applied to the canvas, it will provide a penetrating effect, but will not materially affect the flexibility of the canvas, due to the presence of the oil, so that when the coated canvas is advanced over the sheeting surface, the canvas will advance with practically the freedom and flexibility of unpainted canvas, thus assuring not only an intimate contact of the opposing faces but also the complete absence of ridges or the like. The paint will gradually dry and follow the usual course with paints of this type in tending to slightly penetrate the surface of the supporting structure.

The paint for the opposite face of the canvas is preferably of a quick drying type, and is preferably of a metallic basealuminum paint is a preferred paint for the service and is illustrative of the type.

The tacks are headed, but the head is of small thickness, so that it is possible to include the head within the outer paint coat without providing any material protuberances.

As indicated in Fig. 4 the canvas is applied by rolling the laden spool over the sheet-ing surface, passing from one boundary to the'opposite boundary. However, the exposed face of the canvas which forms the'under face of the applied canvas -is heavily coated with-the slow-drying paint immediately receding the contact with the sheeting surface; this is made clear by the showing of the two paint brushes H8 in Fig. 4 thus indicating successive applications of the paint to the roll as the latter is advanced; as is apparent, the brush at the left makes-the initial application with the paint tending to penetrate the canvas surface, and tending to closethe ends of interstices of the weaving, this being followed by the additional applicationof the brush at the right, so that the surface iscovered with a fairly heavy coat of 'W8t paint just preceding th contact of the coated canvas with the sheeted surface. Since the flexibility of the canvas is not materially affected by the presence of the paint-due to the presence of the oil contentit is evident that as the roll advances the coated surface of the canvas will bring every part-of the line of. contact into intimate contact with the 'understructure surface'and driving ,out the airahead of such line as the roll advances; inasmuch asthe coatingalthough of a dual app-lication-is actually homogeneous, and has a penetrating effect on the canvas itself, it can be understood that theintimate contact will be composed entirelyof. thepaint with no" trapped air, etc-., and .free of creases or ripples or the like. In other words, there is a complete liquid surface contact of thepaint coating and the sheeting surface; with the opposite face of. the coating having the intimateand partially penetrating.contact with the canvas and with the latter face practically closing the slight porosity of'the'canvas, sofar-as the under This is then followed by the application of a.

heavy coat of the quick-drying aluminum paint, this being applied while the under paint layer is still wet, this upper coat being of sufficient thickness to cover the heads of the tacks. As is apparent, there will also be a partial penetration.

of this paintinto the upper face of the canvas, and since the coating covers the entire surface, the canvas itself will be thus located between two opposing surfaces which completely cover the opposite faces, preventing access of air or moisture to the canvas through such faces. It is preferred that a second coat of the aluminum paint be added, after the first coat has dried-a one-day period is suitable between the two applications.

Since the canvas is generally or less width than the opposite dimension of the surface to be covered, a number of such lengths will be used in completing the covering, each length being given this regimen. When the understructure surface is completely covered, and dried, a smooth comparatively thin covering will be presented, the scarfed edges permitting the necessary overlapping without providing ridges, creases or rippies, and providing a surface of great hardness, and which willin'=.fl-oor surfacepermit the movement of heavy furniture thereover without surface denting or cracking, and furniture may remain standing without denting the surface.

As will be understood, the careful practice of the regimen will produce a covering which will produce the results indicated. The success in this respect is due to certain factors. When the under coat has dried, the canvas will be practically anchored to the sheeting surface due to the slight penetration of the paint in its liquid form into both surfaces, with the added condition that the intimate contact with the sheeted surface produced by the regimen practically eliminates any material air beneath the paint layer. sheeting surface, the canvas will itself prevent any movement of the upper layer relative to the canvas, due to the slight penetrating effect, in addition to which the upper layer itself becomes extremely hard and is definitely anchored to the canvas.

As will be understood, the life of the covering depends upon maintaining the integrity of the canvas layer against decompositionas long as this remains intact, the upper and lower coatings will retain the relationships produced during the regimen (other than the drying and the effect of this), the latter being so arranged as to provide a definite relationship as long as the canvas remains intact. By the particular regimen the opposite faces of the canvas are practically sealed against the entrance of air or moisture; severe weather and service conditions have provided a long period of test in this respect to determine if the canvas will retain its normal condition in presence of heavy duty service, since the covering of the invention necessarily depends upon the maintenance of the integrity of the canvasitself a fabric which is vulnerable in presence of moisture. A long testing period under severe service conditions alone could determine this, and the invention has been subjected to such a lengthy testing period, at the end of which the canvas has been found to retain its normal char- With the canvas thus anchored to the progressively-developed acteris'tics and thereby maintained the integrity of the covering. This is due to the fact that both faces of the canvas have been given the paint coatings and under conditions Where partial penetration ofthe canvas surfaces is assured and closing all possibilit of accession of moistureladen air or moisture therethrough to' the interior of the canvas layer. Since all exposed edges of the canvas are. also closed by paint application, air and moistureis prevented. access: to the canvaslayer, thus maintaining the integrity of that layer.

It is to be observed that whenever the roofing H is laid it should be thoroughly sandedv to produce an even surface before the application of any protective layer thereto and the lap-s in canvas at its side edges which are necessary in. large surfaces. should be tightly held by fiat headed nails to the under structure, care being taken that such laps produce the least possible ridges.

Experience has shown that a combination roof and floor of this character will outlast. by several times a roof and flooring having. the fabric coating. painted only on. its upper surface and simply tacked down to the under portion of the floor.

As shown in Figure 6 the lapping edges of the canvas-that is, the scarfed edges, are reduced at ['9 and 20' so that. when the canvas is laid a flat surface is formed, thereby enabling th moving and sliding of objects thereover without in jury thereto and further presenting a surface that may be easily scrubbed and washed.

I claim:

1. In roof and/or floor construction, wherein the upper surface of the understructure carries a long-life relatively-thin composite-layer covering which is substantially imperforate and; moisture-proof, astructure of such type comprisingan under structurehaving a substantially imperforate upper zone with its upper surface of planar type and of substantially smooth, un-'. broken and continuous characteristic, and a comparatively thin composite covering applied to such surface, said covering including a canvas layer of sheet-like form having its undersurface and the surface of the understructure intimately united by a layer of slow-drying paint applied to the canvas surface immediately preceding the application of such surface to the understructure surface to thereby bring said surfaces into a intimate engagement through the applied wet paint layer, the applied canvas layer being definitely positioned by tacks extending into the upper zone of the understructure through the canvas, the applied canvas having a coating of fast-drying paint of metallic base characteristic applied in one or more coats with the initial coat applied to the canvas after the latter is in its applied position relative to the understr-ucture surface and while the slow-drying layer is in its freshly-applied condition to thereby isolate the canvas layer from air and moisture impregnation through such paint layers and to anchor the exposed paint-layer face of the composite covering to the canvas layer and to anchor the canvas layer to the understructure through the underlying paint layer.

2. A construction a in claim 1 characterized in that the slow-drying paint is of a lead and oil base characteristic to thereby maintain the normal flexibility of the canvas during its application to the understructure surface and thereby prevent development of creases, ridges or the like within the applied canvas layer.

3. A construction as in claim. 1 characterized 7 in that the exposed paint layer is produced'from aluminum paint.

4. A construction as in claim 1 characterized in that the covering is formed of a plurality of lengths of canvas having the scarfedside edges in overlapping relation and forming the tacking field, said lengths being applied successively with a similar regimen of application for each length to thereby progressively develop the covering into a continuous unbroken and imperforate covering of planar type.

5. In roof and/or floor construction, wherein the upper surface of the understructure carries a long-life relatively-thin composite-layer covering which is substantially imperforate and moisture-proof, and wherein the understructure includes an upper zone having a substantially smooth upper surface of planar type, substantially unbroken and continuous, the method of producing and applying the covering therefor which consists bringing a roll of canvas smoothly wound upon a spool to the vicinity of the starting point of the covering activities with an end of the roll exposed, applying a slow-drying paint to the outer face of the exposed end zone of the roll to produce acoated zone thereon, then immediately apply such coated zone to the understructure starting point with such end zone in its wound status, and then bodily advancing the roll over the surfac and continuing to apply the paint to the canvas surface beyond the end zone as the roll is advanced to thereby provide an initial penetration of the paint to the canvas surface and to then bring the painted surface into intimate contact with the understructure surface as the roll is advanced and the canvas is unwound thereby, then quickly tacking one of the side edges to the understructure to prevent slippage between the canvas and the understructure surface, and then immediately applying a coating of fast drying paint to the exposed face of the applied canvas, the tacking and the application of the outer coating following the positioning of the canvas in a sequence of activities such that the outer coating is applied while the inner coating is in its wet condition, the application of the fast-drying paint initially causing penetrating effect of the paint into the outer surface of the canvas, whereby the covering, after drying of the paint coatings, will present a composite formation in which the canvas is anchored to the understructu-re surface, with the outer paint layer anchored to the canvas and with the canvas layer isolated from air and moisture impregnation through the coatings.

6. A method as in claim 5 characterized, in that complete coverage of the understructure surface is by the successive application of similar lengths of canvas with their scarfed side edges in overlapped relation, with each length applied under similar regimen conditions, and with the tacking limited to the overlapping zones,

BERT G. GOBLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,154,425 OBrien Sept. 21, 1915 280,635 Le Gros July 3, 1883 1,846,940 Bettison Feb. 23, 1932 2,354,586 Fischer July 25, 1944 1,970,503 Hawkes m. Aug. 14, 1934 636,022 Crabbs Oct. 31, 1899 358,483 Roberts Mar. 1, 1887 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 644,631 Germany 1937 

